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In this edition we have an invite to join KenRocks.org - A new trade union website for London Mayor, Ken Livingstone; The Boris Johnson Newsnight Bus Disaster Video; Details of the new rise in the National Minimum Wage; Details of a UCATT campaign on Pleural Plaques; A Community Petition regarding Bookmakers Safety; Modern Apprentiships Bill; And details of a Compass event.
Please take the time to look at the London Election 2008 information on our website, where you can sign up to get involved in the campaign: http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/london/index.html or www.kenrocks.org
We hope that you will enjoy the E-News and that you will visit http://www.unionstogether.org.uk to read previous editions of the E-News and find out more information about TULO and the work of the Trade Unions.
Regards,
The TULO Office
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www.kenrocks.org is the new website for trade unionists that are supporting Ken in the upcoming London Mayoral Elections.
You can also join our Ken Rocks! Facebook Group. Let your friends know about it, we need to remind everyone to get out and vote for Ken.
The London Mayoral election is now entering its final stages and Ken Livingstone needs our support. There are just a few short weeks until polling day on the 1st May.
Trade unions will be adopting local tube stations and handing out leaflets two times a week, every week until polling day; you can join us or help at a tube station adopted by another union which may be closer to you.
For more information on the activities in your area, please look at the campaign events on Ken Livingstone's website: www.kenlivingstone.com/events
We will also be working for Ken on his Super Saturday campaign days; the 19th April and the 26th April. All day, across London we will be out campaigning for Ken!
Join in by Calling for Ken, handing out leaflets, door knocking or joining Ken in local campaigning - just visit Ken's website to find out more.
London needs Ken. Without everyone's support we will wake up in May with Boris Johnson as Mayor - a disaster for London.
I hope to see you out there!
PS: Boris Johnson Newsnight Bus Disaster
Boris Johnson refuses to answer Jeremy Paxman's question about how much his new fleet of buses would cost 12 times http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vRRYDVaXdaA
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Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced on Wednesday March 5th that the National Minimum Wage (NMW) rate will rise from £5.52 to £5.73 for working adults, £4.60 to £4.77 for 18-21 year olds, and the 16-17 year old rate will rise from £3.40 to £3.53.
Business Secretary John Hutton said, "The national minimum wage remains one of the most important rights introduced by the Government in the last decade. Before it was introduced, some workers could expect to be paid as little as 35p an hour. Our legislation has ensured that can no longer happen."
At present, Parliament is being faced with new legislation that intends to increase the penalties for rogue employers who underpay staff. In support of the new legislation the Labour Government has increased funding for the enforcement of the NMW.
Nearly a million people benefit from the National Minimum Wage Act that was passed in 1998 and on average each person is making £92 more each week than they did in 1999.
Even more significantly over 600,000 children have been lifted out of poverty thanks to the Labour Government's determination to tackle social injustice and ensure fairness at.
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On 17th October 2007 the House of Lords held that asbestos related Pleural Plaques would no longer constitute a compensatable medical condition. UCATT hopes the UK Government will follow the Scottish Parliament lead and bring forward fresh legislation to reverse the Lords decision and that any compensation for contracting Pleural Plaques will not be considered full and final should a person later suffer from further asbestos related disease.
We need you to take action - email the Rt Hon Jack Straw MP Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice & your local Labour MP to ask them to support the UCATT campaign.
Visit http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/issues/pleuralplaques.html to contact your MP about this issue
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Community are asking trade unionists and members of the public to sign an e-petition calling on the Scottish Parliament to ask bookmakers in Scotland to display Community Trade Union and Safer Scotland posters. The poster campaign was launched to address staff concerns about increased violence and abuse in Scottish betting shops and has the backing of the Scottish TUC, Retailers Against Crime, Scottish Government Safer Scotland Campaign and the Health & Safety Executive.
The e-petition can be signed here: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/catmac75/petition.html
Community Regional Director Heather Meldrum said: 'Physical and verbal abuse against staff in betting shops is on the increase. Abusive behaviour, shouting and swearing can be a criminal offence and we are encouraging staff to report it. We hope this campaign will improve working people's lives'
Further information about the campaign can be found here: http://www.respectatladbrokes.com/postercampaignupdate.html
The campaign has a high profile launch in the Scottish Parliament by John Park MSP and is supported by several Labour MSPs, many of whom are campaigning on the issue at a local level in their constituencies and have also signed their name in support of the following motion lodged in the Scottish Parliament:
S3M-01347 John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Labour): Violence Against Betting Shop Workers- That the Parliament notes with concern the increase in physical and verbal abuse and intimidation faced by betting shop workers and the parallel rise in violent betting shop robberies; recognises that many workers do not receive adequate support from their employers following such traumatic incidents; regrets that the prevalence of workplace violence leads to a culture among employees, many of whom are lone female workers, of viewing such abuse as part of the job; acknowledges the work carried out by the trade union, Community, in challenging the problems of violence faced by its members in betting shops across Scotland, and welcomes the safety poster launch on 21 February 2008 in the Parliament to further raise awareness of Community's campaign to stop violence against betting shop workers.
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Labour MSP John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) is taking forward a private members bill in the Scottish Parliament to give young people aged 16-18 the right to a modern apprenticeship. While there has been a significant increase in the numbers of modern apprenticeships over the past 10 years in Scotland under a Labour-led Scottish Executive, a radical shift in apprenticeship policy is needed to meet the economic challenges of the future. The Apprenticeship (Scotland) Bill aims to make that shift.
In summary, the Bill proposes to provide all suitably qualified 16-18 years the opportunity to undertake a Modern Apprenticeship should they want one. It would also place a duty on the appropriate enterprise body to fund apprenticeship training; place a duty on the Scottish Government to promote apprenticeships; and place a duty on public sector bodies to offer apprenticeships.
As part of the lodging of a proposal for a private members bill, there is a statutory consultation process that has to be undergone. The purpose of such consultation is to generate a wide range of opinion and views from individuals and organisations on the proposals, and hopefully assist in drawing out the main issues and identify areas that have previously not been considered. If you know of any representative organisations, companies, trade union branches or individuals who would be interested in responding, please encourage them to read the proposals.
A copy of the consultation document on The Apprenticeships (Scotland) Bill can be accessed at the following address on the Scottish Parliament website: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/bills/MembersBills/index.htm
The consultation is open until 17th June, with the opportunity to discuss the proposals in person with John Park MSP taking place in the Scottish Parliament at a drop in consultation day on 2 May.
To make an appointment to attend the consultation day, or to request a hard copy of the consultation document, please contact Jenny Duncan in the office of John Park MSP on jenny.duncan@scottish.parliament.uk.
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After the May elections: how does Labour win again?
6pm - 7:30pm Tuesday 6 May, Boothroyd Room, Portcullis House, London, SW1
Speakers: Jon Cruddas MP; David Lammy MP; Jennette Arnold AM; Steve Richards, The Independent; John Harris, The Guardian and chaired by Jackie Ashley, The Guardian
Places are going quickly email: info@compassonline.org.uk
For all the latest news, views and debate from the democratic left visit: www.compassonline.org.uk
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